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Kabul Airport Shooting Probe Determines Gunman Acted Alone

From a U.S. Air Force News Release

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2012  The Air Force’s investigation into an April 27 shooting incident that left eight U.S. airmen and a civilian contractor dead at the Afghan air force headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan, determined that the gunman acted alone.

In addition to the U.S. personnel killed, two Afghans were shot and three other Afghans were injured in the attack. The attacker -- Col. Ahmed Gul of the Afghan air force -- was killed during the incident.

The Air Force Office of Special Investigations report concludes Gul acted alone and discusses factors that may have played a role in the attack, which took place in the Afghan Command and Control Center at North Kabul International Airport.

While the investigation did not determine a conclusive motive for the killing, the report says, the attack appeared to be premeditated, and witness statements indicated Gul may have had personal issues that may have been compounded by financial problems.

The OSI findings do not support media reports shortly after the incident that an argument may have occurred earlier that day between the shooter and the American service members or reports that the gunman disarmed and methodically killed the airmen.

Since the incident, several security initiatives have been implemented to improve the force-protection posture for the coalition advisers, International Security Assistance Force officials said.

Extra personnel have been assigned to the force-protection mission, and air advisors have received additional "active shooter" training, officials said, increasing the likelihood a shooter can be neutralized safely before attacking additional victims. Also, they added, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities have improved, command and control upgrades have been initiated, and several emergency response vehicles have been purchased.